Electrically operated track for model vehicles



Sept. 13, 1955 SEYFFER 2,717,557

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED TRACK FOR MODEL VEHICLES Filed Sept. 28, 1949 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Hg. ig- 2 Sept. 13, 1955 ELECTRICALLY Filed Sept. 28,1949 R. SEYFFYER 2,717,557

OPERATED TRACK FOR MODEL VEHICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g0 F795 3 3 I ,2;

24 /-7' 6 /4 J6 earfai Sf 10 0 22: 2/ 23 H W 1424 M23NF a United StatesPatent ELECTRICALLY GPERATED TRACK FOR MODEL VEHIQLES Robert Seylfer,Zurich, Switzerland Application September 28, 1949, Serial No. 118,266

Claims priority, application Switzerland December 22, 1948 13 Claims.(Cl. 194148) The invention refers to a device for the operation of atleast one model vehicle or electric motor car on an electrically fedroadway and more particularly to a device where the electric current issupplied to the car-motor by means of slide contacts at the car orvehicle from electrically conducted laminae, bars or rails applied to,or provided on an insulating base and arranged in a series of whichalternate laminae are connected to the terminals of at least one sourceof electricity.

It is a principal object of the invention to extend the period of timeduring which the motor or other apparatus on the vehicle is suppliedwith current when the vehicle passes over the series of electricitysupplying laminae, irrespectively of whether the series of laminae isarranged to extend longitudinally or transversely of the track of theroadway.

More specifically it is an object of the invention to make possible theuse of several slide contacts connected with the same terminal or thesame terminals of the motor or other apparatus but spaced apart from oneanother so as, when the vehicle crosses the laminae to contact severallaminae simultaneously.

To this purpose, in accordance with the invention, the vehicle isprovided with rectifiers. At least one of the terminals of the motor orother apparatus is connected with at least one pair of slide contactsand the other terminal with at least one slide contact or with one ormore pairs of slide contacts. Rectifiers are inserted into theconnections between the terminal of the motor and the pair of slidecontacts, or into the connections between the terminals of the motor andthe pair or pairs of slide contacts connected with the respectiveterminal of the motor or other apparatus. The rectifiers as to theirpolarities are so disposed in the electrical connections between motorand slide contacts that with any one terminal of the motor or otherelectrically supplied apparatus only like electrodes of the rectifiers,either exclusively cathodes or exclusively anodes, are connected.

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent asthe specification proceeds and from the claims and drawings whichillustrate, by way of example, some embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top view of an embodiment of a track with longitudinallyextended laminae;

Fig. 2 is a top view of another embodiment of a track with transverselyextended laminae;

Fig. 3 shows a cross section of a series of laminae, as seen along lineA-A of Fig. l or of Fig. 2, and 21 diagram of the electrical connectionsof track and motor of an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is an under-plan view of an embodiment of a vehicle;

Fig. 5 is a diagram of the electrical connections of a motor of anotherembodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 6 shows, similar to Fig. 3, a cross section of a series of laminaeand a diagram of the electrical connections of two motor windings orother apparatus for use on a single vehicle or on separate vehicles andof the electrical connections of the track to be electrified from twosources of electricity, derived from voltage division, as anotherembodiment of the invention.

The track for the motor vehicles is constituted by a series ofelectrically conductive laminae, generally designated by 1 and 2, andseparated by insulating pieces or strips 4. The laminae may eitherextend in the longitudinal direction of the track, Fig. 1, or in thetransverse direction thereof, Fig. 2. Alternate laminae of the seriesare respectively connected in common and to a terminal of a source U ofelectricity. Two sets of interconnected alternate laminae, of diiferingpolarity, are thus constituted by the laminae 1 and the laminae 2,respectively. Measured in the direction of line AA, the width of thelaminae 1, 2, is considerably larger than the Width of the insulatinginterstices or pieces 4.

Fig. 3 shows the electrical connections of a track and of the motorwhich drives the vehicle. The vehicle itself is not shown on the trackbut is illustrated in Fig. 4. This vehicle 5 is provided at itsunder-side with four contact shoes or slide contacts 7, 8, 9 and 10which slide over the roadway and thus supply with current the motor 11which drives the wheels 6 of the vehicle 5.

The slide contacts 7 and 8 which lead to both terminals of the motorwinding 11 and likewise the slide contacts 9 and 10 which respectivelylead to the same motor terminals, are spaced apart from each other adistance which corresponds substantially to the distance of the centerlines of two successive laminae 1 and 2 of unlike polarity or anintegral multiple thereof. The distance between the slide contacts 7 and9, which lead to the same terminal of the motor 11, and also thatbetween the slide con tacts 8 and 10, which lead to the other terminalof the motor, differ however from the distance between the center linesof the laminae 1 and 2, of unlike polarity, to the extent that, of thetwo pairs of the slide contacts 7, S and 9, 10, always the slidecontacts of one pair are on laminae of unlike polarity. If for instance,in the diagram of Fig. 3 the vehicle moves to the right, the slidecontacts 9 and 10 will have reached laminae at the moment when the slidecontacts 7 and 8 reach insulating pieces 4, and conversely. One terminalof the motor winding 11 is connected over the rectifiers 12 and 14 tothe slide contacts 7 and 9, respectively, and the other terminal overthe rectifiers 13 and 15 to the slide contacts 8 and 10, respectively.The rectifiers as to their polarities are so disposed that to the oneterminal of the motor only the anodes and to the other terminal of themotor only cathodes of the rectifiers are connected.

In the case of Fig. 3 the source U of electricity supplies alternatingcurrent. In the position of the vehicle shown in Fig. 3 during onehalf-wave of the period current will flow over slide contact 7 andthrough rectifier 12 to Winding 11 and back through rectifier 13 andover slide contact 8 to the source of electricity. During the nexthalf-wave of the alternating current period no current can flow in thereverse direction. On movement of the vehicle to the right the samephenomenon will take place when the slide contacts 9 and 10 contact thefollowing laminae 1 and 2 of unlike polarity. As long as the contacts 9,10 now slide over these laminae 1 and 2, current, during one half-waveof the period will again flow in the same direction as before fromlamina 1 through slide contact 9, rectifier 14, motor winding 11, andback through rectifier 15, slide contact 10 and lamina 2 whilst duringthe next half-wave of the periods the current is interrupted by therectifiers. The motor will thus be driven by unidirectional current.Every time when the slide contacts of one pair, 7 and 8, reach theinsulating pieces 4, the slide contacts of the other pair, 9 and 10,will be on laminae,

and vice versa. The vehicle thus is connected at any time with thesource U of electricity and will be driven uninterruptedly,irrespectively of whether the movement is in the longitudinal or thetransverse direction of the laminae.

Since the vehicle is not bound to a definite gauge of the track, it mayoccur that during the drive the veand 9 slide o laminae o unli p y. oshort circuit current can pass through the rectifiers l2 and 14 nce ey ae a r nge in eri w ppo it polarities in the circuit in which the shortcircuit current might otherwise flow, .011 the other hand, it the slidecontacts 7 and 8 reach the same lamina or laminae of like polarity themotor winding will not be short-circuited. The current during onehalf-wave of the periods of the alternating current will flow from thelamina of one polarity over slide contact 7 through rectifier 12 to theone terminal of the motor winding and through this winding over itsother terminal and through rectifier 15 and slide contact back to thelamina of the other or unlike polarity. During the other halfwave of theperiods no current and thus no short circuit current can flow throughthe rectifiers and 13 between the laminae of unlike polarity since hereagain these rectifiers are lying with opposite polarities in series inthe circuit which otherwise might be short-circuited.

Analogous conditions are valid for any position of a vehicle on thetrack.

In order to make possible the driving of the vehicle in the longitudinaldirection as well as in the transverse direction of the laminae, theslide contacts are arranged at the underside of the vehicle in adisposition deviating fom a straight line, advantageously in an angleor, as Fig. 4 illustrates in a quadrangle. If this vehicle travels inthe longitudinal direction of the laminae, the slide contacts 7 and 9and the slide contacts 8 and 10 will respectively be connected with eachother in pairs by the laminae, whereas at the travel in the directiontransversely of the laminae, the slide contact pair 7 and 8 and theslide contact pair 9 and it) will respectively be connected by thelaminae in certain positions of the vehicle. This, however, does notaffect adversely the function of the driving motors owing to the effectof the rectifiers previously set forth. In the first event, when therectifiers l2 and I4 and the rectifiers 13 and 15 are respectivelyconnected in parallel by the laminae, there will be half-waverectification and in the other event there will be full-waverectification of the alternating current.

It will be readily understood that the vehicle may also be provided withmore than four slide contacts which then, in analogy with thearrangement for four slide contacts, will be connected over rectifiersto the terminals of the motor. This will reduce the probability that thecurrent to the vehicle during its travel might be interrupted. It isalso possible, in accordance with a modification not illustrated here,to drive the vehicle only with three slide contacts, arranged in atriangle, longitudinally as well as transversely of the laminae. Theslide contact 10 of the arrangement of Fig-. 3 might then be omitted andinstead of the rectifier 3 a or al con uct ve connection emp oyed- Wi hthe application of only three slide contacts it may however happen thatthe vehicle during its travel may at a time be fully without current.

The movement of the vehicle over such dead places of the track may beensured by providing in the vehicle rotating masses or a fly-wheel 40associated with the driving motor which supplied energy of inertia tothe rotor of the motor and keeps it running when the current to themotor is interrupted.

if desired the wheels of the vehicle or part of them may be executed ascontact means for transmitting the current from the laminae to thevehicle.

Fig. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the electrical connections of avehicle. The four slide contacts 7, 8, 9, ll) are each connected with apair of rectifiers 28, 32; 29, 33; 30, 34; and 31, 35, respectively. Inthese pairs the individual rectifiers are arranged as to theirpolarities inversely of each other and the free terminals of each of thetwo sets of equally disposed rectifiers, four rectifiers a set, areconnected in common and to one terminal of the driving motor ll each. Inthis way only positive terminals, or anodes, are connected with the oneterminal of the motor and only negative terminals, or cathodes, with theother terminal of the motor.

The device operates similar to that described with reference to Fig. 3with the difference however that in any position of the vehicle on thetrack the alternating current supplied from the source U flows throughthe motor winding in the same direction during both half-waves of theperiods, full-wave rectification taking place. In addition to higherefficiency there is the further advantage that with this arrangementeither direct current or alternating current may be used for feeding thesystem instead of only alternating current as in the case of theembodiment of Fig. 3.

In the case of direct current, which may be connected in either sense tothe device, the rectifiers operate as automatic switches which connectthe current from the slide contacts to the corresponding terminal of themotor 11 so that the current flows through the motor always in the samedirection as ever the polarity of the laminae may change at the slidecontacts during the travel of the vehicle.

In this embodiment of an electrical installation in accordance with theinvention, the number of slide contacts may also be increased at will,they may, however, also be reduced to three.

In order to make possible simultaneous operation of several vehicles,independently of one another on the same track or for the production ofdifferent effects on the same vehicle, as for instance steering,illumination, transmitting of signals, etc., the drive-way may beexecuted as illustrated in Fig. 6. In accordance with this embodiment ofthe invention, the conductive laminae, which may be arrangedlongitudinally or transversely of the track are disposed in groups ofthree or more laminae. In this arrangement, all first laminae (l) of thegroups are connected to one terminal to a source of electricity, allsecond laminae (2) to the other terminal of the same source, and allthird laminae (3) to the second terminal of a second source ofelectricity, and so on if there are more than two sources or voltagesavailable. All first terminals of the sources are connected together.

Fig. 6 shows groups of three laminae 1, 2, 3, each, insulated byinsulating pieces or strips 4 therebetween. In this embodiment insteadof several a single source U or network is employed from which throughvoltage division two independently controllable voltages are derived byconnecting to the second terminal of the network two regulatingresistances 18, 19 which respectively are connected to the second andthird laminae of the groups. More independently regulable voltages maybe derived from the source if more regulators are connected to thesecond terminal of the source U. Correspondingly the number of laminaein each group will be augmented so that there is always one lamina morein the group than there are voltages available.

On the track of Fig. 6 there is a first vehicle represented by the motorwinding 11 and the slide contacts 7, 8, 9 and 1%. The vehicle in itsarrangement generally corresponds to that discussed with reference toFigs. 3 and 4. The slide contacts 7 and 8 leading to the terminals ofthe motor winding, and likewise the slide contacts 9 and 10 leading tothe same terminals of the motor winding, are spaced apart a distancecorresponding to the distance of the center lines of two neighbouringlaminae 1 and 2. Rectifiers 12, 13, 14 and 15 are inserted into theconnections as described before. A second vehicle with the motor winding24 travels also on the track. This vehicle is likewise provided withfour slide contacts which are connected in pairs 20, 22 and 21, 23 overrectifiers 36, 37 and 38, 39, respectively, to the terminals of themotor winding 24. Of these slide contacts those which lead to differentterminals of winding 24 namely and 21 and also 22, 23, however, for thisvehicle are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the distance of thecenter lines of the first and third laminae of a group.

If, for instance, the source U of electricity is a source of directcurrent, current will flow to the motor winding 11 of the first vehicleonly then when one pair of the slide contacts 7, 8, or 9, 10, is incontact with the laminae 1 and 2. When for instance the slide contacts 7and 8 or 9 and 10 are in contact respectively with the laminae 3 and 1;passage of the current through winding 11 is blocked by the rectifiersand the use of direct current. The vehicle therefore will be suppliedwith current only by the laminae 1 and 2 but will not be aflected by theother laminae. In order to make possible continuous travel of thevehicle also over the other laminae the vehicle is provided withrotating fly-masses or a fly-wheel associated with a motor. When themotor is driven fed by the laminae 1 and 2, the mass or fly-wheelaccelerated by the motor accumulates energy of inertia which, when thecurrent to the vehicle is interrupted, is supplied to the rotor and themotor is thus kept running.

Similarly, motor winding 24 is supplied with current only when two ofthe slide contacts, 20 and 21, or 22 and 23, contact respectively thelaminae 1 and 3. The rectifiers however will block passage of thefeeding direct current when the slide contacts are for instance on thelaminae 2 and 1. Also this vehicle is provided with rotating fly-massesor a fly-wheel (40) which makes possible the travel of the vehicle overdead places by supplying energy of inertia to the rotor of the motor.

Both vehicles thus may travel simultaneously on the same roadway. Theymay, however, be started or stopped, independently of each other and beindividually controlled, for instance by operation of the regulatingresistances 18, 19.

Advantageously, the base of the roadway is of insulating material towhich the laminae are applied by depositing the conductive material onthe base by spraying, condensation of metal vapor, or by galvanization,or otherwise.

What I claim is:

l. A device for the operation of at least one model vehicle on aroadway, said device comprising alternate strips of insulating materialand electrically conductive laminae constituting a track for saidvehicle, terminals for a source of electricity, successive laminae ofsaid track being alternatingly connected to said terminals; said vehiclebeing provided with slide contacts adapted to slide over said track,said vehicle being further provided with apparatus including at least anelectric drive motor and adapted to be supplied with electricity fromsaid terminals over said slide contacts, rectifiers being provided onsaid vehicle; wiring connections for electrically connecting one side ofsaid apparatus with at least one pair of said slide contacts and forelectrically connecting the other side of said apparatus with at leastone of said slide contacts, rectifiers being inserted at least into thewiring connections between said pair of slide contacts and said firstnamed side of the apparatus connected 6, thereto; said rectifiers beingso disposed as to their polarities as to be connected with one pair oftheir like electrodes to said pair of slide contacts and with the otherpair of like electrodes in common to said other side of said apparatus.

2. A device for the operation of at least one model vehicle on aroadway, said device comprising alternate strips of insulating materialand electrically conductive laminae constituting a track for saidvehicle, terminals for a source of electricity, successive laminae ofsaid track being alternatingly connected to said terminals; said vehiclebeing provided with at least four slide contacts adapted to slide oversaid track and with apparatus including at least an electric drive motorand adapted to be supplied with electricity from said terminals oversaid slide contacts; said vehicle being further provided with at leastfour rectifiers, wiring connections for electrically connecting eachside of said apparatus over one pair of said rectifiers to one pair ofsaid slide contacts; said rectifiers being so disposed as to theirpolarities that the cathodes of one pair of rectifiers are connected incommon to one side of said apparatus and the anodes of the other pair incommon to the other side of said apparatus whereas the anodes of thefirst pair of rectifiers are connected individually to the slidecontacts of the one pair of slide contacts and the cathodes of the otherpair of rectifiers are connected individually to the slide contacts ofthe other pair of slide contacts.

3. A device for the operation of at least one model vehicle on aroadway, said device comprising alternate strips of insulating materialand electrically conductive laminae constituting a track for saidvehicle, terminals for a source of electricity, successive laminae ofsaid track being alternatingly connected to said terminals; said vehiclebeing provided with a number of slide contacts adapted to slide oversaid track and being further provided with apparatus including at leastan electric drive motor and adapted to be supplied with electricity fromsaid terminals over said slide contacts; said vehicle being furtherprovided with a plurality of rectifiers, wiring connections forelectrically connecting at least two of said slide contacts each overone of said rectifiers to one side of said apparatus and another of saidslide contacts over another of said rectifiers to the other side of saidapparatus, the rectifiers being so disposed as to their polarities thatto the one side of said apparatus only anodes of the rectifiers areconnected and to the other side of said apparatus only cathodes of therectifiers are connected.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein alternate laminae of saidseries are respectively connected in common and to a terminal for saidsource of electricity, said interconnected alternate laminae thusconstituting two sets of laminae of difiering polarities, and whereinthe distance between at least two of said slide contacts differs fromthe distance of the center lines between successive laminae of differingpolarity thereby to space at least two of said slide contacts apart fromeach other such a distance that they are always on laminae of unlikepolarities.

5. A device for the operation of at least one model vehicle on aroadway, said device comprising alternate strips of insulating materialand electrically conductive laminae constituting a track for saidvehicle, terminals for an arbitrary number of sources of electricitybeing provided at said track, each source having two terminals, a firstterminal and a second terminal, the first terminals of all sources beingelectrically connected in common; the laminae of said series beingarranged in groups, each group having a number of laminae one more thanthe number of said sources; apparatus of a number at least equal to saidarbitrary number and adapted to be supplied with electricity from saidsources, at least one pair of slide contacts for each apparatus beingprovided at said vehicle, one slide contact of the pair being connectedto one side of the appertaining apparatus and the other slide contact ofthe pair to the other side of the appertaining apparatus, said number ofapparatus including at'least an electric drive motor; said vehicle beingfurther provided with rectifiers, at least one pair of rectifiers foreach side of said apparatus, Wiring connections for electricallyconnecting each side of the apparatus over one of said pairs ofrectifiers to a pair of said slide contacts; said rectifiers beingdisposed as to their polarities so that of the two pairs of rectifiersfor each apparatus the cathodes of one pair are connected in common tothe one side of said apparatus and the anodes of the other pair incommon to the other side of said apparatus whereas the anodes of thefirst pair of rectifiers are connected individually to slide contactsand like- Wise the cathodes of the other pair of rectifiers; all firstlaminae of said groups being connected to said first terminals of saidsources, all second laminae of said groups being connected to the secondterminal of a first of said sources, all third laminae to the secondterminal of a second of said sources, and so on, and finally all lastlaminae of the groups to the second terminal of the last source; slidecontacts connected to an apparatus to be fed from said first sourcebeing spaced apart a distance corresponding to the distance between thecenter lines of the first and second laminae of a group, slide contactsconnected to an apparatus to be fed from said second source being spacedapart a distance corresponding to the distance between the center linesof the first and third laminae of a group, and so on, and, finally,slide contacts connected to an apparatus to be fed from the last sourcebeing spaced apart a distance corresponding to the distance between thecenter lines of the first and last laminae of the groups.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein various vehicles areprovided each including a driving motor and wherein at least part ofsaid slide contacts are arranged on said vehicles.

7. A device 'as set forth in claim 5 wherein at least part of said slidecontacts are arranged on the same vehicle, said vehicle being providedwith various apparatus for producing diiferent effects, one of saidapparatus being the driving motor of said vehicle.

8. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein at least part of said slidecontacts are arranged on the same vehicle, said vehicle being providedwith various apparatus for producing difierent effects, one of saidapparatus being the driving motor of said vehicle and others controlmeans for said motor.

9. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said arbitrary number ofsources of electricity -are constituted through voltage division of asingle source.

10. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said laminae are arrangedlongitudinally of the track.

11. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said laminae are arrangedtransversely of the track.

12. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein several slide contacts arearranged on a vehicle in a disposition deviating from a straight linethereby to make possible driving of the vehicle longitudinally of thetrack at all transverse positions thereof.

13..A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said laminae consist ofthin strips of conductive material on an insulating base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS978,884 Wohl Dec. 20, 1910 1,327,215 Roe Jan. 6, 1920 1,668,249 Rich -1May 1, 1928 1,778,465 Ozanne Oct. 14, 1930 2,537,281 Roshak Jan. 9, 1951FOREIGN PATENTS 820,165 France Nov. 5, 1937

